


Too Many Cooks

by Leathernotebook



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Anthology, Child AU, Smol!SoleSurvivor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-16
Updated: 2016-10-05
Packaged: 2018-05-14 09:27:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5738386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leathernotebook/pseuds/Leathernotebook
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of oneshots starring 8 year old Sole Survivor,  and his companions trying to keep him out of trouble</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Intro ft. Piper

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all,  
> I will be posting as often as I can and will be adding tags as is needed for later chapters. Hope you all enjoy

_Oh my god, what I have gotten myself into_

Piper was currently ducked behind a large box being shot at. She wasn’t sure how she’d ended up in the middle this. Breaking out diamond city’s resident detective from, apparently, Skinny Malone’s hideout. Probably had to do with the fact she couldn’t resist the adorable little face of a disheveled looking child asking for her help.

She didn’t even know what the kid needed help with until later when she discovered, oh they’re finding Valentine, who happens to be held captive by a gang. Thanks for the warning kid. The boy wasn’t very vocal to say the least, and he seemed a bit traumatized and clung close to a Mr.Handy who hovered protectively near him at all times.

The shower of bullets stopped for a moment and she peeked out to see the a ghoulish gang member reloading. Quickly she raised her own weapon and shot in his direction, smiling when she saw him finally fall. She looked over and saw the boy’s robot, Codsworth, take down the last man in the room, and then it was quiet.

“Miss Piper, can I come out now?” A small voice asked for a well hidden corner she had shoved him into when the shooting began.

“Just call me Piper, and yeah Nate, come on we got them all.” she said smiling and holding out her hand to the small boy. He was small, and wore one of the bright blue vault suits that could occasionally be found around the commonwealth. He was definitely an interesting kid, but he seemed too shell shocked to adequately explain his situation.

She wasn’t sure how old he was, probably close to seven or eight. If she had realized that the synth detective was in such a dangerous position she would have left him with Nat. He said he was looking for his mother and needed help, but didn’t explain what happened, she wondered how long he had been looking.

Codsworth didn’t say much either, but he had obviously been taking care of the boy, making sure he got to Diamond City safely. There was a story there, she was sure of it, but for now it could wait until Valentine was out of this godforsaken vault.

Small hand clasped in hers. They slowly, and quietly made their way to where the detective was being held. She preferred to keep the boy out of as much trouble as possible, for obvious reasons, so she figured sneaky style was the way to go, as opposed to guns blazing.

She noticed the kid liked to look around everywhere they went to. He seemed to be starting a collection of a random assortment of things, some of which would be useful to her. He already found twenty bobby pins and several toy cars. Seeing his innocence made her smile. It was hard to come by these days.

  
“Come on kid, the detective is waiting for us.”


	2. Inverview ft Valentine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be diverging from main story quite a bit, so yeahhhh, also the story will be less linear soon, it is meant to be a bunch of oneshots rather than a full story.  
> This is unbetaed sorry if that's obvious.

As all kids before the Great War, little Nate knew all about stranger danger. His mommy would tell him that if he got lost he should look for a policeman, or a nice looking lady. But there were no more police, and no one looked nice.

They were all _dirty_.

Miss Piper had been the nicest looking lady he could find. She agreed to help him find a detective cop man.

He thought Valentine was a weird name, and wondered why someone would have a name like a holiday. And it was such a _girly_ holiday, Nate wouldn’t have admitted it, but he liked Valentine’s day.

Thinking about all the yummy chocolates and heart shaped lollipops made his mouth water, the whole class had exchanged treats that day. He remembered his mommy being very sad though, he gave her one of his chocolates and cuddled to make her feel better.

Nate missed his mom, that’s why he needed to find Mister Valentine in the first place. He needed a policeman to help him find her, and his baby brother Shaun.

Nate wasn’t sure what had happened, the day started normally, Codsworth was getting him ready for school, his mommy already left for work.  Everyone outside had started running around and the sirens were going, Cods had him carry the baby and they followed where everyone was running. Nate wasn’t sure what happened after that, but some people said Codsworth couldn’t go with him, and some scary looking people had taken him to a crazy big elevator.

His nice neighbor lady covered his eyes and he heard the big booms. He didn’t remember much  after that, they had been rushed around so fast. He does remember the cold though. Whenever he got cold before his mommy or Codsworth would make some hot chocolate for him, but neither of them were there when he woke up.

He was sitting in Valentines office now, hugging his knees and sitting on a chair that was way too big for him. Nate was worried about Codsworth, he had been damaged on their way back from helping to get Valentine, the old bot had assured the boy he’d be fine. Just needed to repair himself and find a couple of components around the city. He said it would take a couple of days before they could go back home, he wasn’t in any condition to protect his young master.

Nate was alone at the moment, Piper and the detective had gone to the other room and said they needed to talk. Before they had made it to the dark little office in the city, Nate couldn’t keep himself from staring at the robotic man. He was more amazed that scared though, he wanted to ask so many questions but he could hear that the synthetic man and miss Piper were fighting.

“- a kid into a situation like that! What if he had gotten hurt! To come get this rickety old bot no less” Valentine’s voice didn’t sound like the kid thought it would. Nate half expected the same accented voice of his Mr. Handy and half expected that a robocop’s voice would have to be super scary to make sure the bad guys would listen to him.

“How was I supposed to know you’d been captured by skinny malon’s crew? I kept him hidden best I could when there were any guys around!” Miss Piper’s voice sounded back. Nate was pretty sure he wasn’t supposed to hear any of this, and he felt really bad getting such a nice lady in trouble with a detective. He unwrapped` his arms from around his legs and plugged his ears with his fingers.

It wasn’t long before his companions walked back to the main office and saw him there on the chair looking upset. Piper pulled him in for a hug.

“Aw I’m sorry we were fighting kid, but it’s alright now, we made up. Valentine is going to help you find your mom, alright?” Nate nodded, and pulled his arms down twiddling his thumbs. He didn’t like being in the center of attention.

Valentine pulled something off the desk and sat in a chair across from him.

“Hey kid, after I have to ask you a couple of questions, I got something here you can play on that fancy pipboy of yours, sound good?” Nate nodded, seeing the robotic man was holding a little holotape of what looked like Zeta Invaders. Valentine liked to keep a few things for kids to play with incase of situations like this.

He looked at the vault suit the boy was wearing, the big yellow numbers 111 on the back stuck out to him. He never heard of a vault 111 before.

“You from a vault then? Your mom to? I can tell from the blue clothes, you’ve been in one recently haven’t you kiddo.” he asked quietly.

“My mommy never made it in the tunnel, she went to work before I got inside it, I haven’t seen her since then. I didn’t stay there very long, some people inside told me to wear it.” Nate’s small voice replied, he was picking at the fabric nervously. Valentine filed the information away, and began again.

“When did she leave for work, and do you know what she does?”

“I- I don’t know how long mister Valentine. It feels like a few days?” he started off quiet still, then  got excited, going on about what she does “She told me she helps to make sure bad guys get punished though!” He remembered what felt like only a week ago her using big words like “prosecutor” and “district attorney” when talking to her neighborhood friends, but he didn’t know what that meant, he started babbling incoherently about how she was practically a superhero.

Piper went and started patting his back calmingly.

“Probably a merc then you think Nick?”  he nodded in affirmation, and hoped for the boy’s sake, her most recent job didn’t go awry.   

  
“Either in Goodneighbor or dead” He said quietly, making sure the kid couldn’t hear. then he continued louder “Well, kiddo, I think I have an idea where she might be…Well head out there in a couple, need to gather some things first... here’s that game a promised you, You know how to start it? Oh I see you got it.” The child was beaming and had already grabbed the tape popping it in before Valentine could finish talking and started it up. 

Small spaceships filled the screen and the pipboys green glow highlighted the child's face and emphasized his large excited eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always feel free to give me suggestions for future chapters.


	3. Goodneighbor ft. Hancock & MacCready

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to meet two more of the companions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry its been so long, I'm finally back writing though. Taking some college classed and got a job so it will still be slow.

When they arrived in Goodneighbor, Nate was practically asleep with piper carrying him. It must have been a long day for the poor little guy, the sky was already starting to get dark. Valentine had guessed they would probably get harassed upon entrance to the city, he just didn’t realize it would be literally at the gate.

Ah yes, good to see the art of extortion is still very much alive. At least the kid was asleep, he didn’t need to see anymore unfriendly faces. 

“You’re gunna need to start handing over everything in your pockets, or bad ‘accidents’ might just start happening to ya, which would be mighty unfortunate for the kid you got there huh?” He said, directed to Piper, smirk across his scarred face. 

Valentine sighed, he was thinking about how to handle the situation, and then a more familiar gravelly voice came out from beside the Kleo’s weapon shop.

“Woah woah woah, time out, Nick Valentine makes a rare visit to town and you are hassling his friend here with that extortion crap? Good to see you again Nick.” He glanced and nodded at the detective. 

“Hancock,” Valentine replied with a nod of his head, he figured what was about to happen and glaced to make sure Nate was still asleep. He’d rather not Hancock make a bad impression on him immediately. 

The extortionist’s angry voice started again “What do you care? She ain’t one of us!” He looked like he was going to continue when Hancock cut him off.

“No love for your mayor, Finn? I said let ‘em go.”

“You’re soft hancock. You keep letting outsiders walk all over us, one day there'll be a new mayor.” 

Something dark gleamed in Hancock’s eyes as he stepped forward. Valentine sighed once more unsurprised by the turn of events, Piper glanced over at him curiously careful not the jostle the child in her arms. 

“Come on, man. This is me we’re talking about. Let me tell you something.” Hancock’s light tone deceiving as he ended the sentence, by stabbing Finn several times. Piper had clearly not expected that, her eyes wide and she clutched Nate a bit tighter unconsciously. “Now why you have to go and say that? Breaking my heart here.” 

Hancock wiped his knife clean of any blood, and turned toward Nick offering a smile, and then to Piper “You alright sister?”

She waited a moment before replying “Uuh yeah guess, thanks for taking care of him?” it sounded more like question than a statement, but Hancock seemed satisfied. 

“Good. Now don’t let this little incident taint your view of our little community. Goodneighbor is of the people, for the people, ya feel me? Everyone is welcome.” 

Nick butted in at this point “That’s actually why we’re here this time Hancock, We’re looking for this kid’s mother. You see anyone, possibly a merc, come in here recently that could fit the bill?”

“Can’t say that I have Nicky, but if I’d start anywhere looking for a merc it’d be down at the bar, maybe in the morning though they’re probably all drunk and can’t help answering questions and stuff right now. I can hook you up with a room at the hotel Rexford for the night, for old time’s sake.”

“Thanks Hancock, You know I don’t need the sleep, but, well you can see the kid’s already passed out.”

“No problem, friend, I’ll let you know if I hear anything.” 

….

MacCready’s day was not going how he had expected. Sure, he knew that the gunners would eventually find him. That would happen to be the exact reason why he had decided to bunker himself down in Goodneighbor. He knew they probably wouldn’t start anything up under Hancock’s nose, stoned out of his mind or no that ghoul could be intimidating. Most of the town had already heard what he’d done to ‘ol Finn at the gate just the night prior.

And here they were now, Winlock and Barnes, between him and the exit of the VIP lounge at the third rail. Wonderful. Just what he wanted. 

His body was filled with tension, but he tried to look as relaxed as possible, can’t let them think he’s intimidated. He continued to sit, drink in hand body relaxed as they got closer, unamused expressions on their faces. 

“Should we take this outside?” He said, partially jesting, partially hoping they would take him up on his offer so he could make a break for it. They ignored him. 

“Can’t say I’m surprised to find you in a dump like this MacCready.” It was Winlock who spoke. MacCready shifted uncomfortably in his sit.

“I was wondering how long it would take your bloodhounds to track me down, Winlock. It’s been almost three months, don’t say you’re getting rusty.” He was pushing their buttons and he knew it, he couldn’t help himself. He asked again whether they should take the party outside.

“It ain’t like that. I’m just here to deliver a message.” Huh that was interesting, Mac was sure they were there to take him out or to maybe try to beat him up a bit, but just a message? Weird. Then he figured, it might be a reinvitation.

“In case you forgot, I left the gunners for good.” He went to stand. 

“Yeah, I heard, but you’re still taking jobs in the commonwealth. That simply ain’t gunna work for us.” 

Anger flared momentarily he responded “I don’t take orders from you, not anymore. So why don’t you go and take your girlfriend out of here while you still can.”

“Whaat?! Winlock,tell me we don’t have have to listen to this shit!” Barnes finally contributed. Heckles raised.

“Listen up, Maccready. The only reason we haven’t filled your body full of bullets is that we don’t want war with Goodneighbor.... We respect other people’s boundaries, we know how to play the game. It’s something you never learned.”

MacCready was a bit rattled, but he was glad to hear they wouldn’t in fact do anything in Goodneighbor. “Glad to have disappointed you!” He sneered, he was done with them. Unwilling t deal with their bullshit. That only seemed to have edged them on however.

“You can play the tough guy all you want, but if we hear you’re still operating inside gunner territory… All bets are off, you got that?”

Mac frowned as they turned their backs to leave.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to request ideas for later chapters!


End file.
